"There is nothing more beautiful than finding your course as you believe you bob aimlessly in the current. Wouldn't you know that your path was there all along, waiting for you to knock, waiting for you to become. This path does not belong to your parents, your teachers, your leaders, or your lovers. Your path is your character defining itself more and more everyday like a photograph coming into focus."
-Jodie Foster
Lis drummed their fingers expertly beside her, apparently they'd shared most classes together besides one, Belle was in an automotive class where Lis was in a painting course, which was both of their blocks after lunch. So now here they are sitting side by side at Lunch.
Belle was munching on strawberries that Derek had packed her, claiming that he wouldn't allow the teen to consume anything in a school cafeteria, and Lis was throwing carrot sticks casually across the table at some random kid. The teen had tried to lob a few at Belle, but after not being able to land a single one they'd given up.
"What are you a secret assassin?" They'd asked, eyeing the huntress carefully, Belle only snorted in response sending them a cheeky wink that had their cheeks flaring.
Belle hummed watching a group of teens whisper and glance over at the duo, "So," the huntress began, stealing another carrot chunk, ignoring the angry outcry from her friend, "why are people staring at you?"
Lis snorted, "they're not looking at me," they said, freckled nose scrunching, "we haven't had a new kid in a while and you're not... like everyone here."
"What do you mean?" She asked, popping another berry in her mouth, "I'm a joy."
They rolled their eyes, "I'm sure," Lis stated, "but you show up, riding a motorcycle, with your leather jacket and mysterious self and you turn down like, the number one dude in the school and start talking to me."
Belle pouted, "I like you, you're not boring." She stabbed her fork into a chunk of chicken, "white boys, with white teeth, and a white attitude? Boring."
The teen watched Belle carefully as she mulled over her lunch, Lis still had no clue what to make of their new friend. "Yeah but, you know, it's... mysterious." They said, eyeing the school mystery meat dubiously.
The huntress shrugged, glaring at a group of popular kids giggled, eyeing the two. Belle groaned, picking up the remainder of her food and moving away from the table, anger flushing underneath her skin. She was pissed off at the looks, the whispers the laughter, it put her on edge, pushing through the cafeteria doors her breathing labored as she turned a corner. Fuck, she couldn't breath, couldn't think.
Damnit she hated people.
Slipping down the metal lockers she collapsed, whining in anguish as she remembered just how out of place she was. She doesn't belong here, she doesn't deserve the kindness she'd received, the anger and shame bubbled in her stomach. Eyes cloggy with the fog of emotion she stared forward, suddenly a squeak of boots caught her attention. Staring harshly at them Lis plopped unceremoniously beside her, they didn't speak, just sat there. Quietly waiting for Belle, "sorry," the teen whispered, picking at her cuticles and twisting the end to one of the tassels on her bracelet. Anything to keep her mind off of everything.
Yet Lis only shrugged, "I don't really have a filter, my dad always gets super pissed at it," they stopped, and looked at Belle, "I didn't mean to make you anxious, I think it's all just Highschool, everyone staring, talking, gossiping," Lis smiled lopsidedly, trying to make their new companion feel better, "I though you'd be used to it by now."
Belle looked at the granite flecked tiles, uncertainty flushing through the atmosphere, opening her mouth to speak, she froze, closing it. Her hands went up to the sleek purple of her shirt, grasping at the high collar. "Can... can I admit something?" She whispers quietly as Lis nods. "I've never been to a Highschool before... it's my uh, first time." Her smile becomes strained as the teen beside her freezes.
"How... were you homeschooled?" Lis asks, head tilted in a manor that reminds her so much of Cas, the parallels between the two were getting on her nerves.
With a shake of her head Belle thunked her head against the lockers with a clash, "its complicated, let's just say that it's a messy situation with shit I can't get into."
Lis blinked at her clipped tone, not taking it to heart as they nod, "sorry if I overstepped."
The huntress flinched, "no, it's me, my uh, emotions are kinda stupid. Like I'm emotionally constipated I swear." She smiles awkwardly, hands up in a, what-are-you-gonna-do-about-it, motion.
They snort at her, bumping their shoulders casually with Belle's, "I get it." Humming, a chiming bell interrupts them, and suddenly the halls are alive with movement, Lis clambers to their feet, soothing their skirt expertly as Belle climbs up gracefully beside them. "Well I'm going to my art class, have fun getting grease all over you or whatever." They wink kindly at Belle as they head off to the art wing. The huntress smiles after their form and spins on her heel, glancing down at her map, she'd smartly stuffed everything in her locker before lunch. Taking a breath, she opens the door to the engineering wing, walking swiftly to the end of the hall, she felt a hand grasp her shoulder. With a huff, she wrapped her hand around the wrist of her attacker, throwing it up and spinning so she could grasp their inner elbow, twisting it around their back and slamming them into the lockers next to her.
"Yo! What the fuck man, are you crazy!" The person yelp beneath her. The hustle of the hall freezes as Belle releases the male, she ticks her jaw, adjusting her chin so it held her head high.
With a snort Belle crosses her arms. "Didn't anyone teach you not to grab people?" She hisses, the boy telling his eyes.
It was fucking Jaxson, of course it was fucking Jaxson. "Well I just wanted to see if you were lost, excuse me for trying to be helpful."
"Why," the huntress began, voice cool, "would you think I'm lost?"
The jock smiles, "This is the engineering wing." He says, leaning haphazardly against the lockers. "And that's the garage for Auto Shop."
Belle scoffs, "yes, I'm quite aware where I am, that's why I'm here." At his confused face she grunts, "I'm in shop, it's my next class." Turning she walks toward the door, only to be stopped again.
"Wait, you're aware we work on like cars... right?" Jaxson says, "you know, rust, grease, dirt..."
"What is this? 1950?" The huntress snaps, "how do you think I got my bike?"
Jaxson purses his lips, "you rebuilt it?" He says in a dismissive tone.
"Yup," She says, entering the doors, "all by myself, wow, so crazy."
He skids after her, "I didn't mean anything by it, not like girls can't, but you don't seem like the type."
Belle makes her way to the back desk, where an elder man sat, "the type?" She echos, as Jaxson follows her on her heels.
"Yeah, you're like... hot." The huntress pauses, staring at him, before walking over to the desk, not justifying him with an answer. Stopping infront of him, a male in his mid forties, graying sideburns with a tan, wrinkled completely. He looks up at her, watching carefully.
He places down the papers quirking an eyebrow, "Belle Morgan I presume? You're the new student?" When she nods he smiles, "My name is Mr. Herrera, but don't call me that, that was my anciano, just call me Jimmi." Belle waves awkwardly as he continues, " we're working on projects now, we get beat up classic muscle cars donated to us and at the end of the year we sell them and all the money goes back to the school and program." He explains. "Now, I usually wouldn't let people enter in sp late but..." he smiles at her, "your father spoke highly of your abilities." Belle blushed, fricken Derek. "We have one more car and it has all the parts... you have to work fast to catch up and have it done but I won't dox your grade if you don't finish."
The teen nodded, as he got up leading her into the actual garage area, seeing the rather expensive but absolutely rusted out classics spread out, sent a sudden stream of thrill running through her. "So, the boys picked their teams and worked on lemons at first and now we've moved on and picked out a few, theres the The 1969 Dodge Daytona," he states, pointing to a group of three stretched out over a blueprint of said dismantled car, "the 1984 Chevy Corvette," this one was lifted and the engine suspended, over it, "the last one being worked on is the
1969 ½ Dodge Super Bee A12," the was the car that just happened to have Jaxson working on, he looks up from the hood winking at her as Belle pulls a disgusted look. The walk over to the last station, which was dark and a tarp was thrown over the car.
"This one was fought over too much apparently most boys didnt want her, she's been sitting here for three years so if you can fix her, you're a godsend, she has all her parts in those boxes," he gestures over to the grouping of cardboard boxes, holding the parts. "You ready?"
Belle nods as he pulls it away, sitting right there was a completely rusted out and beaten 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2, immediately laughter built up behind them, obviously they though she was getting the shit end of the stick, but Belle couldn't be fucking happier. "You're joking." She whispers almost squealing when he shakes his head.
"I think the fact that you know the importance of this baby, you should get her." Jimmi smiles as Belle brightens. "next class I suggest not wearing the uh, silk," Belle laughed, not paying mind. "So for now, go over the information, take a preliminary look, you can get started on everything tomorrow."
As she starts reading the information and hooking it up to the diagnostic machine she starts writing down what she needs to do, the engine needed to be completely rebuilt, so she'll have to remove it, the axle, brake calipers and transmission were completely rusted through, the windows were either shattered or completely gone, and that was just from what she could see! To put it mildly the thing was a mess, but of course she didn't mind, she loved the challenge but she could see herself spending way too much time in here.
Not that she cared.
So she got to work, chucking her jacket over her large desk, she wrote down notes. Popping the hood she leaned down, running her fingers across lines, checking the damage of wear and tear. Suddenly she felt the front dip, groaning Belle pulled herself from the engine to come face to face with Jaxson.
Ew.
"Hey, sorry you got stuck with the lost cause." He said, "maybe if you agree to come back to my place, I can get the old man to put you with me and my boys." He nods back to his friends who laughed when her eyes met theirs. "What do you say sweetheart?" Belle only crossed her arms and knocked the prop holding the heavy hood up, it came crashing down and the jock only just missed his fingers getting crushed under it, too bad. On the bright side it clipped his hip on the way down.
The huntress smiled at his shout, tilting her head, "do you know what this car is? No? This is the classic muscle car. Most say it's the FIRST one. So me fixing it up? Well, let's just say you wont hear me complaining about it. Also. I will never and I mean it, never go home with you. So you can take your entitled rich boy smiles, and honestly straight up pathetic delusions of superiority, and leave me the. Hell. Alone."
The boy scoffed, his cheeks brightening in embarrassment as laughter built up around them, the bell chimed happily, and Belle smiled, grabbing her jacket as she clipped his shoulder on the way out.
Walking down the hall she groaned at the whispers, apparently everything had to be filmed nowadays and her whole encounter with duchy mcduchbag, was all over the damn school.
FUCKING wonderful, she knew her smart ass would get her in trouble. But this damn quick?
Of course. Of course. Because she was a fucking Winchester.
God, Highschool made her tired.
***
The last chime signified the days end, teens fled the building like rats, laughter and teasing surrounding Belle as she made her way to her locker. Sending a quick text to Derek to let him know she was heading home, she opened up the door, pulling her bag out and slinging it over her shoulder. A familiar squeak of boots made the huntress still her movements, allowing Lis to fall into step beside her.
"So, Bee, how was your first day?" They asked, nudging the huntress as they made their way to the exit.
Belle raised an eyebrow, "Bee?"
Lis nodded, twirling gracefully around a couple making out heatedly on one of the walls. Both teens rolled their eyes in response, the cotton candy haired teen sticking their tounge out in disgust. Belle smiled at the slight childishness, it was endearing to a certain degree, putting her at ease. "Yeah you look all grr on the outside and I bet your sting hurts like a bitch but you're also like... cuddly and fuzzy and you do your own thing till someone bothers you," Belle blushed minutely, shrugging, as if that got rid of the warmth of having a friend who actually put thought into giving her a nickname. "Speaking of, I saw what you said to Jaxson, and can I just say? You're so fucking badass, you just said, bitch please, and took off at LEAST three years on em." Lis' hands shot out around them, almost smacking Belle in the process, yet she sidestepped carefully. "It was epic, you just have like, I don't know a degree of try me motherfucker and I absolutely adore it." They wiggle their pink brows happily.
"Thanks L, I'm glad I can entertain you." Belle smiles, as they nod vigorously, stepping out the front doors to the parking lot. "So, where's your car?" Lis smiles brightly, starting off in the direct near the other teen's bike, vibrating as they stop a few spaces down, it was an adorable mom car, a dusty blue Ford Freestyle, obviously well loved.
The look of pride on Lis' face wasn't the best part though, the thing that had Belle smiling was the littering stickers all over the back, and not a 'honk if you love jesus' type but 'BLM,' 'Dismantle the Government,' and a bunch of other small anarchial memorabilia. "This is my love, Hemmingway!"
They jump up and down, making the dark haired teen burst into laughter. "Fuck yeah man."
Lis blushed a little, flinging the door open to their car, the scent of apples consuming the air as they settle in. "Well I'll see you tomorrow Belle, oh! Wait, wait, wait, give me your phone!" Belle perked a brow, handing over the newest iPhone, she unlocked it with her fingerprint and they delved in, punching their number into her phone and pausing. "Dude, do you... not have Instagram or Snapchat?"
She paused, "Insta what-?" The look Belle received was absolutely dreadful.
"Bee, apple of my eye, soon to be bestfriend, even my Grandmother has Instagram." Lis stated, going into her app store and downloading them, "I'll call you later and we'll set up your accounts, maybe we can talk about the AP Calc work."
The huntress smiled lopsidedly, green eyes teeming, "that sounds great."
Lis smiled back, all teeth a slightly chubby cheeks. "Also some dude named Derek texted you back, I didn't read much, only say something about a pretty boy?"
Belle beckoned the phone, hey Kiddo, pretty boy wanted me to tell you that he wants the details about your first day, so, movie night tonight? I also want the detail, even if I am uncool. We don't have a case right now so I should be home tonight, drive safe.
She smiled at it, Lis watching her as her shoulders slope, almost like all the tension of the day left her, "Its my Foster Dad, my God Parents want to do a movie night to talk about my first day." Something in the pink haired teen calmed, Belle seemed genuinely happy to go home, and if the photo of the man on her phone screen was this Derek, then that meant she was close to him. Belle shuffled, smiling politely, "I best be heading back now, I want to get some homework in before the brigade arrives at my house."
Lis inclined their head, "Nah, I gotcha, I'll talk to you later Bee."
"Talk to you later." Belle winked, heading to her bike happily, stowing her bag in the side, she releases her hair, plopping the bike helmet down and revving it up happily, reversing she shoots out of the space, cutting through the area so she met the side of Lis' car, sending then a wink as they laughed, Sympathy for the Devil blasting out of her speakers as she shot off home.
***
Later, Belle was cuddled up in a knitted sweater, it may or may not have belonged to the Doctor, but who was gonna tell? Nope, that's right not anyone.
Derek found his daughter's insistent need for their clothes as a comfort absolutely adorable. It didn't help that 9 times out of ten they swamped her due to her petite frame and their larger ones.
So, when the elder man came home, walking through the door tiredly after a frankly awkward bout of flirting in the hallway with their neighbor, he was greeted with an empty house. He'd seen Belle's bike downstairs, so he knew she was here, so that left her in her room. He drops his keys next to hers, and smiles, "Hey Kid? I'm home!"
He kicks off his shoes, settling on the couch, it was around 5:30, Spencer and Penny would be there around 7, so that left an 1 and a half for dinner. Derek desided as he flicked on the TV that it was definitely a pizza night. A familiar click of a door and light footsteps made the man turn his head, Belle met him with a yawn, plopping down beside him, and letting her body flop into his side. Him chuckling as he moved his arm slightly to allow it. "Hey kid, how was school?"
She groaned, "Not terrible, annoying teachers, even more annoying students." Then she bolted up excitedly, "But! In shop I'm working on a, you'll never fucking guess, 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2!" Derek laughed as they spoke more on that. Belle mentioned Lis, talked about how she needed to get on social media apparently and then they ate pizza on the couch.
Later, the nerd duo showed up and Belle ended up in a deep discussion with Spencer, which resulted in the former falling asleep on the latter, who also fell asleep.
And before you ask, yes, they got plenty of pictures.
Derek smiled at them, picking up littered popcorn bowls and cups and walking to the kitchen, Garcia following him quietly. "Sounds like a first good day." She says to him as he leans on the counter, arms crossed comfortably.
"Yeah, she's having good days." He admits, eyes still on her slightly open mouth, hair splayed out messily, Spencer in a similar position. "Its outweighing her bad, I think. I mean, I can still hear the nightmares... and she still jumps when I initiate contact but... she allows me to hug her now... and she falls asleep in the living room."
Garcia smiles at him, "you sound like such a dad."
"I'm so scared I'm gonna screw it up." Derek whispers, "I love her so damn much babygirl."
Penny hits his shoulder, "yeah right, you guys are good for each other, and you have two amazing geniuses on your side. Like you could screw it up."
And that was enough for the agent, it was enough. Garcia made her way back to the living room leaving Derek to watch the scene lovingly, a ding brought him out of the warmth, brought him out of the haze of a daydream.
Looking down to his phone all the heat drained from him, his blood running cold, eyes hardening.
We need to talk. It's about Belle.
-Hotch.
Summer rain had washed the plains, leaving the morning sky crisp and clean. The sun shone warm-soon to bake the earth dry. It cast a purple haze across the plain-like a great, dark topaz. In the trees the birds sang, while the squirrels jumped from branch to branch in seeming good will, belying the expected tension of the coming days.
-Cate Campbell Beatty